Frank carefully lifted him into the boat, and, by their united efforts, after a good deal of hard work, the buck was thrown in after him.

The boys then climbed in themselves, and Frank said, "Well, we have captured our first deer, haven't we ?" "I wish we had never seen him," answered Archie.

"We've lost our guns by the operation." "I am afraid so; but we will, at least, make an attempt to recover them." "How will we go to work ?" "We will dive for them." Archie shrugged his shoulders, but made no reply.
Frank's first care was to bandage Brave's neck with his handkerchief.
He then divested himself of his clothes, and, after wringing the water out of them, he spread them out in the bow of the boat to dry.
"I don't much like the idea of going down in there," said Archie, looking dubiously at the dark, muddy water; "there may be snakes in it, or it may be full of logs, or the bottom may be covered with weeds that will catch hold of a fellow's leg and keep him down." "I can't help it," said Frank; "we must have the guns; I'd rather risk any thing than lose them.

The only thing I am afraid of is that the water is too deep.

I'll be a little careful at first" So saying, he lowered himself over the side of the boat, and, drawing in a long breath, sank slowly out of sight.
Meanwhile Archie was pulling off his clothes, and, when his cousin appeared, he exclaimed, "How do things look down there?
Rather muddy, isn't it ?" "Yes," answered Frank, as he wiped the water from his face, "but the bottom is all clear, and the water is only about fifteen feet deep." "Did you see any thing of the guns ?" "No, I couldn't stay down long enough to make observations.